Electric drive for vehicles



June 19, 1923.

J. SCHURCH ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jan. 4, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet l (Ecoj dc/aqrl/z June 19, 1923*.

J. SCHURCH ELECTRIC DRIVE FDR VEHICLES '5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Jan. 4, 1921 FIRST June 19, 1923;

J. SCHURCH ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR VEHICLES Original Filed Jah. 4,

1921 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 E a a W in E m q. m wwm w M v i 5 ma ,4 5 a W M w w m m 3 m m m P. 1 m: m m k k/ w w m m I/ M n m a f, a m m m m 4.. J m M a 0 a M m 1 0/ V w M m V "Z M a r 5 m N v W 5 M, M W m 6 P H fie m R I I, UV 1 W i x if m K M W M b M w I a 3 2 M 1 X, l 4 WM m m m M m 5 Patented June 19, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JACOB SCHURCH, 013 LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. HEISE, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC DRIVE FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed January 4, 1921, Serial etc. and particularly to vehicles which are propelled by internal combustion engines.

' While the high thermal efliciency of the internal combustion engine makes such an engine an econon'iicaljprime mover for use on such vehicles, it is a well understood fact that it is not inherently well suited for driving vehicles. This is due to the fact that internal combustion engines are most efiicient when driven fully loaded at a constant speed and that at lowspeeds and low loads, such engines show a very great. loss in efiiz-iency and power. In fact, atlow speeds, the engine delivers so little power as to be readily stnlled.- To overcome these inherently bad features of the internal combustion engine irr'the conventional form of motor driven vehicle a clutch is provided so that the enfzinecun be stnrted'without loud angl'ageilred transmission is provided so that the envine can'be coupled to the load zit several (jfi'erent (rear ratios. ,VVhen' applied .m' automobile or truck and usually whenh'pplied to a tractor, it is also common practice to provide a geared rear axle which contains j a" differential including several bevel gears. The standard construction of an automobile thus includes a clutch, a transmission and a differential. All such mechanical devices are a source of mechanical' loss, high first cost and high maintenance expense. They also are a source of trouble as wear or breakage is frequent.

It is an'object of my invention to provide a. vehicle which is driven'by a standard internal combustion engine and in which there is neither :itra'nsmission, a clutch or a dif- Fcrential.

In the standard form of automobile, some No. 435,040. Renewed March 3, 1923.

skill is required to manipulate the clutch and transmission gears and few drivers ever learn to operate them as they should be operated to insure long life and high economy. Itis true that the present automobile will run even when operated unskillfully but when so operated, it quickly wears out and it uses up excessive quantities of fuel.

A further object of my invention. is to provide an automobile in which the clutch and transmission gears are absent and in which the operations of starting and running are greatly simplified. 5

Owing to the inherently inappropriate characteristics of the standard internal combustion engine, in the sta-ndard'formof automobiles it is run a considerable part of the time at low efiiciencies, and itis a further object of my invention to provide structure such that the engine can at all times berun at a high efficiency. 1

A. further object is to provide aseriesdirect current. generator which is driven directly by on internal combustion en ine and which in turn drives series motors l ich are connected to the rear wheels.

Due to the peculiar characteristics of the series direct current generator and the series direct current motor, the combination of such a generator with an internal combustion engine for driving a vehicle by means of direct current series motors produces certain new and useful results to be more fully described hereinafter. 1

A further object is to provide a series'direct current generator having a commutator on either end in combination with two motors and means for connecting thewindings of said generator andmotors in difierem; relationship so that the speed and torque ratios between the internal combustion 'engine and the wheels can be varied electrically without the interposition of clutches, gears, or other mechanical'devices. j Further objects and advantages will set forth more in detail hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. l is a side elevation of the engine and generator, an automobile outline considered "ducting segments 230 to (imam? features.

My invention is shown applied-t0 an automobile 20 which carries an internal combustion engine 21; .The engine 21 drives series direct current generator 22 and this generator in turn drives two series direct current motors 23 which are incorporated in the rear wheels of the automobile and which may be connected either in series or parallel with each other by a. controller 24. A storage battery 25 is provided for starting. lighting and ignition and also to maintain a small initiatexcitation on the generator-22. Thezengine maybe provided with a. standandmotor, not shown, operated by the hattery 25 and the'battery may be charged by a tstahdardcharging generator not shown. The engine 21 Halo]? any standard form, be- -ing either four or two stroke cycle and operating eithenonlow compression like the presenti standard automobile engines or on high qonipression like the Diesel engine. It iscoupied direct to the generator 22.

Diogiram.

The method of connection is-shown very diagrammatically in Fig. '2. In :tahElS. figure a double commutator generator 22is shown mechanically connected to antldriven by an internahcombustione-engine 21. *A portion of the field of thegeneratori22 is shown excited by the. battery 25. The armature 200 has two commutators'201, each commutator exiciting' apportion of the field of the generator 22m The two commutators are so connected intotheim'ain portion 203 of the controller 24ithet one armature is connected to the fihgers204 and 205 and theother to the fincrs 206 and 207. One terminal of each of the motor armatures nected to the fingers; 208 and-209., Fingers 212 and -213 are connected to; fingers 214 and 215 onthe reuerser portion 216 of the controller. 24;: :The -field.220-of one'motor connected. to the fingers 216 and 1217nnd. the fi6ld221 of theother motor is connected to the ting-M5218 and 219.; One wire from the arr'na-tureu210iis connected to a finger 222 and one wire. fromthe armature 211 is connected toe finger.223. The vmainportion of the controller 24 has. a drumincluding con 237 inclusiveand the reverscr portion-216 of the. controller'24 has conducting segments 240 to 253 inclusive a. development of each drum being. shown in through the field windings through the field ,tions remain being exactly erators are,

n 18 con ment 231 to the finger connected to the finger Fig. 2. The main drum oi the controller is provided with blank spaces along the line marked neutral so that all the fingers 204, etc., pressing on said drum are disconnected with the drum in the neutral position, fingers 207 and 212 and the fingers 204 and 209 are permanently connected together.

First position.

With the finger-S204, etc... segments 232, 233 and 237 the controller 24 may be said to' be in the first position and the connections may be said to be those of the first osition i, e. the generators in multiple ant the motors in series. The fingers 204 and 206 are connected together by the segment 232 and with finger 200. Current generated in each generator winding passes 7 being delivered to the fingers 205 and 207 which are connected together by the segment This current is delivered to the finger 214 of the reverser flowing through the segment 241 to the finger 217 through the field 220 to the fin er 216, to the segment 240 which is connec ed to' the segment 242. From the segment 242, current flows to the finger 222 and to the armature 210, thence to the finger 209 andacr'ossthe segment 237 to the fingers 213 and 215. From 215, the current flows through the segment 244 to the finger 219 221. to the finger 218 and thence throughsegments 243 and 245 to the finger 223 through the armature 211 to the finger 209 which is connected to the fingers 2,04 and 205. The generators are thus in parallel'and the motors are in series. The relative polarity of the fields and armatures of the motors can be changed by moving the reverser. drum so that the fingers 216, etc. rest on segments 246 to 253.

resting on the Second position.

Inthe second position, the motor connecunchanged, the segment 236 like segment 237. The genowever, put in series, current flowing; from the finger 204 through one enerator to the finger. 205 across the seg- 206 through the other the finger 20? which 212 through which generator winding to the motors are fed.

T [liv d position.

In the third position, the generator windings are left in arallel, the segments230 and 231' being i entical. The motors are, however, connected in parallel. The fingers 212 and 213 are'connected togetherby the segment 234 whichin effect connects the fingers, 214and 215 together and throws the fields 220 and 221 in parallel with each other, each being. inseries with its own arma- Thc ture 21 or 21l,'the fingers 208 and 209 being connected together by the segment 235.

Controller.

The controller 24: may be located beneath the floor of the automobile the maindrum, carrying the segments 230 to 237, being operated by a handle 250 and the reverser drum carrying the segments 240 to 2&3- being operated by a pedal 251' as shown in Fig. 1.

The characteristics of' a series generator are illustrated graphically in the small diagram'in the upper left hand corner of 'Fig. 3 in which the revolutions per minute-of the generator are read from the point X to' the right and in which the ampera e is-read from the pointw vertically. his represents the behavior of a series generator connectcd to a constant resistance, this is to say, it represeu tsthe performanceof the generator 22 previous to the -time that the automobileQO is started as previous -to'thi's time the motors; being stationary are :.without. efi'ect other than, that due to theirresistance. i Due to the constant field produced bythe windings 85, the amperage increases'very slowly in proportion to the speed until the point M, is reacbed at which'timethe eurrent der livcreilfisnegligible. As.;;the speed increases, the. generator; builds up very, rapid; ly until the magnetiowfield-becomes saturated. and then the current-increases along theline N. Thischaracteristio ofa series generator is very valuable when applied to an internal combustion en in'e as it is possible to run the engine at 1$5srevolutipns per minute directly connectedto the; motors without I the generator developing sufiicient current to impose more than awery small load on the enginen As soon asthegenerator starts to build up, or 35250011 as =the point M is reached, the load increasesquiterapidlv.

In the chart -Fig. 3,-I show the performance which may be expeeted with my invention. hen starting on a level road, the engine is allowed to speed up to the pointA, that is to. say, to a point just below..200:R. P M. When the generator reaohesa-speed of 200 R. P. it willdevelop sufiicient current to start theautomobile on the :level on a fair road bed with the motors in the third position, i. e. with the generators in series and the motors in parallel, the car thereafter being accelerated along the line A--B so that. for example, when the generator runs at 800 It P. M. the automobile has a speed of about 28 miles per hour. This is the normal method of starting on good roads and where excessive traction is not required. It should b contrasted with the method of starting with a mechanical gear of which is now standard in automobile practice. With a mechanical gear, the engine is first started and when it has attained some speed, the clutch isthrown in and the car is thereafter accelerated along the line C-D until the engine is running about 600 R. P. M., and the automobile istraveling at the speed of about two miles' per. hour. The clutch is then disengaged, the speed of the engine is then-dropped and the automobile is put into intermediategear'accelerating from E to F or upto a speed of about 900 It. PIM. for the: engine:- Thisspeed corresponds to a speed'oftaboutseven' miles-per hour for the automobile. The clutch is again disengaged and the speed of the engineis again reduced, the automobile being thrown into high gear accelerating along the line G-H.

Flu-Fig. 3 I'show'the curve I'J repre' senting the'horse power of a typical automobile engine-at-difierent speeds with the throttle wide-open, the curve K-L indicating the torque developed by the engine at various'speeds with :the throttle wide open and the curve O-P which indicates the fuel consumptiornin gallons per mile' with the throttle!fully.,open.;= M .1

In Fig; 4 I showa curve which. shows the efficiencyof .an internal combustion engine runningatany 'speed with a variableload, i. e. with the throttle closed a variable am ountwi-xrc-w- -,Referring-.td the .diagramtini Ii ig. .-3 it will be seen-that the greatestiefiiciency is obtained at about'.90{)- R.;I,: for-theTparticula-r en,- gine, considered and that the greatest torque is obtainedat about 700.1%; P. :M; Instarting :the engine mechanically along the line G"H "it is ordinarily necessary-to :start with the; throttle-only partly openjsay;25%,of the-full load onthegengi-ne Wider- -1 Referring to-the;,curve of:Eig.;.,4,:it-'. -will be seenat this: sne'ed. the! efiiciency only abouhone half of what =it .yvoulct gbejlif the .throttlmwerecfiull w open, -,;;Referr1ng ,todhe curvesy of, engineper,-

formance. it will be noted that at low. speeds 'yeryglittlee power orftorque is developeda It is. therefore, .ev.iden ti that instarting. an. .in-

ternal combustion engine mechanically in the standard .mannerwitltlow and intermediate gear, welhayeuery littlepower and torque at. low speeds ot the engine, and l we have very-little :eflieiency at high speeds. g By .startingmheengine v along thecurv A--B we areable to open up the throttle at 200 R. P. M. and to accelerate smoothly with the wide open throttle and with a high eiiicibelncy. The torque at this speed is considera e.

If it is necessary to start or run the engine on grades or it is necessary to pull out of sand or under bad road conditions, it is possible to use my invention with the motors in their second position or with both motors and both generators in series. In so doing, the speed relation is shown by the curve B. S.

In practice as soon as the engine reaches the speed of about 1150 R. I. M. on the curve B. S. indicated by the point T, it is advisable to drop the speed to about 620 ll. I. M. or to the point U and to then connect the motors in their third position allowing the acceleration to take place thereafter along the line U-P or in third position. In case of very adverse condition, it may even be desirable to connect the motors into the first position for starting, i. e. with the generators in multiple and the mo tors in series. The acceleration may then take place along the line Y-Z.

In practice as soon as the engine is accelerated to the point W on the curve Y-Z, the speed is reduced to the point V, connectionbeing then made in the second position and the engine, therefore, accelerating along the lines VT, U-B and change to the third position being made whenever the engine reaches the speed T. For very heavy starting, it is therefore evident that the engine may be accelerated along the lines Y\V, V-T, UB. When so accelerated, it is evident that the speed of the engine never falls below 600 R. P. M. and never exceeds 1200 R. P. M.

Referring to the fuel consumption, curve (l-P, it will be seen that this range from 600 to 1200 R. P. M. represents the range of greatest efiiciency of the engine and referring to the curve K-L, it will be noted that the engine develops its greatest torque at about 800 R. P. M so that by accelerating along the line Y--Z, V-T, U- B, we are at all times operating the engine at its greatest efiiciency and at very nearly maximum torque. By so operating the engine, it is possible to reduce the size of engine ordinarily applied to automobiles and it is further possible to reduce the size of generators and motors employed so that the weight necessary in my form of invention is not excessive.

i I have found that the characteristics of a series generator and series motors are so well suited to the characteristics of an internal combustion engine that by proper proportioning of the generators and motors, it is unnecessary to manipulate the controller except under abnormal conditions, the controller being normally left in the third position and 'the automobile started and stopped by manipulating the engine throttle only. In practice, therefore, the first and second positions are merely emergency connections used to pull up heavy grades or out of deep mud or sand. In some cases I dispense entirely with the first position using the.second ition to pull out of mud, etc, and the third position for run 11mg.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. In a vehicle, the combination of: an internal combustion engine; a series direct current generator driven by said engine and having a single field and an armature having two windings; means for connecting said armature windings in series or in parallel; two series direct current motors, one driving one of the wheels of said vehicle and the other driving another wheel of said vehicle; means for connecting said motors in either series or parallel; and means for conneeting said generator to said motors.

2. In a. vehicle, thecombination of: an

internal combustion engine; a series direct current generator driven by said engine and having a. single field and an armature having two windings; means for connecting said armature windings in series or in parallel; two series direct current motors; means for connecting said motors in either series or arallel; and means for connecting said generator to said motors. i

3. In a vehicle, the combination of: an internal combustion engine; a series direct current generator driven by said engine and having a single field and an armature having two windings; means for connecting said armature windings in series or in parallel; series direct current motors driving said vehicle; and means for connecting said generator to said motors.

4. In avehicle, the combination of: an internal combustion engine; a series direct current generator driven by said engine and having a single field and an armature having two. windings: means for connecting said armature windings in series or in par allel; series direct current motors driving said vehicle; and means for connecting said generator to said motors.

In testimony whereof. I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angelcs, California, this 99th day of December 1920.

JACO SCHURCH. 

